content: /* ===========================================================
   * JFreeChart : a free chart library for the Java(tm) platform
   * ===========================================================
   *
   * (C) Copyright 2000-2011, by Object Refinery Limited and Contributors.
   *
   * Project Info:  http://www.jfree.org/jfreechart/index.html
   *
   * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
   * under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
   * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
   * (at your option) any later version.
   *
   * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
   * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
   * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public
   * License for more details.
   *
   * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
   * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
   * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301,
   * USA.
   *
   * [Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. 
   * Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.]
   *
   * -----------------
   * ImageEncoder.java
   * -----------------
   * (C) Copyright 2004-2008, by Richard Atkinson and Contributors.
   *
   * Original Author:  Richard Atkinson;
   * Contributor(s):   -;
   *
   * Changes
   * -------
   * 01-Aug-2004 : Initial version (RA);
   * 02-Feb-2007 : Removed author tags all over JFreeChart sources (DG);
   *
   */
  
  package org.jfree.chart.encoders;
  
  import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
  import java.io.IOException;
  import java.io.OutputStream;
  
  /**
   * Interface for abstracting different types of image encoders.
   */
  public interface ImageEncoder {
  
      /**
       * Encodes an image in a particular format.
       *
       * @param bufferedImage  The image to be encoded.
       *
       * @return The byte[] that is the encoded image.
       *
       * @throws IOException
       */
      public byte[] encode(BufferedImage bufferedImage) throws IOException;
  
  
      /**
       * Encodes an image in a particular format and writes it to an OutputStream.
       *
       * @param bufferedImage  The image to be encoded.
       * @param outputStream  The OutputStream to write the encoded image to.
       * @throws IOException
       */
      public void encode(BufferedImage bufferedImage, OutputStream outputStream)
          throws IOException;
  
      /**
       * Get the quality of the image encoding.
       *
       * @return A float representing the quality.
       */
      public float getQuality();
  
      /**
       * Set the quality of the image encoding (not supported by all
       * ImageEncoders).
       *
       * @param quality  A float representing the quality.
       */
      public void setQuality(float quality);
  
      /**
       * Get whether the encoder should encode alpha transparency.
       *
       * @return Whether the encoder is encoding alpha transparency.
       */
      public boolean isEncodingAlpha();
  
      /**
       * Set whether the encoder should encode alpha transparency (not
       * supported by all ImageEncoders).
       *
       * @param encodingAlpha  Whether the encoder should encode alpha
       *                       transparency.
       */
      public void setEncodingAlpha(boolean encodingAlpha);
  
  }
  